A father and son’s birthday fishing trip ended in heartbreaking tragedy after their boat capsized and the two were lost at sea.
Constantin Leahu, 43, and Andrei Leahu, 11, were on a fishing trip Saturday for the boy’s birthday near Astoria, Oregon, when their boat capsized and the two went missing, according to Fox 8 Live.
It was Andrei’s first fishing trip, and his godmother, Irina Negrean, told the outlet that he had “wanted to go with him (Constantin) for a long time.”
“This was his dream come true, to be on a fishing boat with his father,” he told Fox 8.
The Leahus and three others were fishing on the boat when it capsized near where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, a rough patch of sea, according to The Colombian.
Constantin Leahu, 43, and Andrei Leahu, 11, were on a fishing trip Saturday for the boy’s birthday near Astoria, Oregon, when their boat capsized and the two went missing.
It was Andrei’s first fishing trip, and his godmother, Irina Negrean, told the outlet that he had “wanted to go with him (Constantin) for a long time.”
Rescue teams were sent out to look for Constantin and Andrei, but were unable to find them. The father and son were nowhere to be found, and the search was called off at dusk.
“I don’t think we have much hope of finding them alive at this point,” Negrean said. “So we’re trying to figure out the next steps.”
The Coast Guard managed to pull the other three from the ocean. One of the victims died on the way to the hospital, the outlet reported.
Andrei, who left the trip a day after his birthday, still has his cake in the refrigerator at home, according to Negrean.
“It’s a monumental loss, it’s an incredible loss,” the family friend said.
Constantin was the sole breadwinner of his family of seven. He leaves behind a wife, Elena Venera, and four daughters, Anamaria, Daria, Elizabeth and Melanie.
Andrei was the second eldest son.
“He was the kind of man that if you asked him for something, he would move heaven and earth to get it,” Negrean told The Columbian.
The Leahus and three others were fishing on the boat when it capsized near where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, a rough patch of sea.
Rescue teams were sent out to look for Constantin and Andrei, but were unable to find them. The father and son were nowhere to be found, and the search was called off at dusk.
The little boy is remembered as sweet, loving and a little mischievous.
The family was very involved in their church, the St. Mary’s Romanian Orthodox Church, which has created a GoFundMe for the family.
“Their loss and grief are insurmountable. We are raising funds to help cover the family’s immediate and future needs, medical bills and other expenses,” said the fundraising organization, which has raised $77,545 of its $250,000 goal.
“Constantin’s sense of humor, selfless nature and unwavering faith in God’s goodness make him one of the most generous, caring and sincere friends any of us could ever meet,” said Florentin Agoston, who initiated the fundraiser.
‘Deeply committed to his faith, always willing to go above and beyond for anyone, a loving father and husband, he leaves behind not only a heartbroken family but an entire community that will never recover from such a loss.’
The church remembers the boy as “intelligent, funny and sociable.”
“Andrei was much loved wherever he went,” Agoston wrote. “Losing Andrei at such a young age left us all shocked, heartbroken and devastated.”
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